Automatic hose-coupling.



H. C.v HERR..

AUTOMATIC HOSE UOUPLING.

APPLIUATION FILED MAB. 4. 1914.

1,118,129. v Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

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Y 7a s4 a character that will HERBERT C. HERR, OE DALLAS, TEXAS.

AUTOMATIC IOSECOUPLINGu Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

Application med Match 4. 1914. Serial No. 822,264.

T0 all 'whom it may concer/n.'

Be it known that I, HERBERT C. HERR, citizen of the United Sta-tes of America, residing at Z617 Bermingham street, Dallas, Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvement-s in Automatic Hose-Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention as specified relates to new and useful improvements in automatic hose couplers.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an automatic hose coupler of .suchbe economical of time consumed in coupling up the joints of hose, and highly adaptable for use on all forms of hose used for the conveying of water.

A further object of the invention `is to provide an automatic coupler of the character described which may be coupled directly to the present form of street fire plug and expeditiously used by the fire depart.- iuents.

Finally the object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described that will be strong, durable and efficient, simple and comparatively inexpensive to construct, also one in which the several parts will not be liable to get out of working order.

i YVith the above and other objects in view the invention hasl relation to certain novel features of construction and operation, an exampley of which is described in the following specification andy illustrated 1n the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of a street fire plug showing the automatic coupling attached thereto and communicatingwith the fire hose. Fig. Q. is a view of the female coupling attached to the hose. Fig. ,3 is' a viewf of the male coupling attached to the hose. Fig. 4 is a view in front elevationof the female coupling showing the open end which receives the male cou iling. Fig. 5 is a A,view in front elevation of the male coupling showing the end 'adapted to be introduced into the associated coupling. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional -view of the fe-4 male coupling. Fig. 7 is asectional view of the male coupling the section being taken upon the line .jr-r of F ig. 5. Fig. 8 is a* sectional view taken upon thev line y--y of Fig. 6. .eferring now more in particularto. the drawings wherein like reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the numeral 1 designates an ordinary type of street fire plug to which is attached, through the automatic coupler, the hose 2.

A description will first be given of the female coupling member, reference being had to the several views of said member.

This element Yof the device, as in the standard.type and form 1n present use, consists' of two elements or parts so associated together that one part may swivel upon and about the other without danger of leaking 'waterfrom through the fire hose.

n Referring particularly to the Figs. 2, 4, G and 8 of the drawings, the numeral 3 designates a cylindrical shell member which substantially forms the body of the female coupling. A swivel member 4 of substantially the same proportions as the body member 3 is provided and forms an important element of the female member of the cou-- pling de vice. vThe member 4 has formed on its interior periphery and near one extremity an inwardly projecting concentric ring 5 provided with an integrally formed annular iange member 6. A concentric ring 7 is in- .thev high pressure passed tegrally formed on the interior periphery,

adjacent to the swivel member, of the body member 3. T he viange member 6 is spun and turned down over the face of said ring 7 as designated by the numeral 7. This substantial association of the two elements 3 and 4 forms, as previously mentioned, a swiveled union or connection between the two said members. lt is thus seen that one of the members 3 or 4 may be turned about its axis 4Without affecting the other. A packing ring or washer 8 of rubber or other suitable material is retained in the coupling and lies in contact with the spun flan e 7 and against the inner periphery of the ody member 3. This packing washer 'is adapted to form a water and air vtight joint between the couplings when the other'element of the coupling, yet to be explained, is introduced and locked in the body member 3. 'The swivel member 4 is adaptedto receive and .firmly join to' the hose. To this e'nd, annular corrugations l9 are provided on the interior periphery of the' swivel member. The hose is, retained by' expansion rings (not shown) tightlyagainst grooves of the corrugations.' standard method of joining up coupling members.

This'is the the hose and and in the umm' periphery of the body member and have their longest sides lying adjacent and parallel to the front fac-e of tbe bodymember. Ratchet pawls 11 with ratchet heads 12 are pivotally mounted upon pins 14 within the recesses 10. Coiled compression springs 15 are retained between the Walls of the recesses and against the outer extremities of the paivls. These compression 10 (springs keep the ratchet heads 12 inwardly isplaced. Buttons 16 are mounted in apen tures in the body memberv and have inte grally formed upon their inner extremities shoulders 17. -The buttons lie in contact with the eXtremities'of the pawls 11. The shoulders confine the button in the body member preventing them from coming out. The parts and elements just describedy are preferably in pairs and arranged diametrically opposite each other.

A pair of diametrically opposed grooves 18 is received in the inner periphery and adjacent to the front face of the body member. The said grooves are helieally formed female member. A passage 19 lies parallel to the axes and opens into the outer face of the body member, opening and communicating said grooves 1.8 to the exterior, ada ting said grooves to receive elements hereinafter referred. to.

' A concentric exterior ring 20 bounds the periphery. of the body member 3 which forms a protective body tothe coupling member, preventing the possible denting or defacing of the front face of the body member when same is roughly used on pavements and curbs. A pair of diametrieally o posed cylindrical lugs 21 are integrally fbrmed on the outer periphery of the member 3. These lugs receive the Spanner Wrench which is used by the fireman in tightening the joint after the automatic coupling is made.

A description Will now begiven ofthe male element of the coupling; also a' description of the operation, or just how the parts are easily and speedily coupled Will be developed. f

With particular reference to the Figs. 3, 5, and 7 the numeral 22 desi gnates 'the cylinrical malel element which, when properly ociated with the portion just described, tinbodiesntbe invention herein described.

The extremity or portion :724 has its Walls .-:,..:='3tantially reduced in thickness and is the on adapted to be introduced into the Je coupling. A pair of diametrically d radial lugs 27 are integrally formed n the exterior periphery of the portion 1 r the member Said lugs are restan. ilar iu cross section and have their size and zion adaptable'to register with, enter' the i9. After the lugs ""J are .introduced through the passages 1%) inte the grooves 18, a turn of one ,of the in direction with `respect to the axis of the Ain the other,

members 3 or 22Will cause the lugs 23 Vto travel in the grooves' 18 and draw the portion of the member farther into the member 3 until the face or outer 'surface of the portion 24 closely contacts and binds the im packing Washer 8. This foi-nils a water tight joint. Two sets of ratchet teeth Z5 are formed upon the outer periphery of the portion 24 ofthe member andjarranged in opposed relation. Scalloped channels 26 are 5 formed adjacent tothe teeth and adapted to allow the ratchet lieads 12 to drop thereinto when the male member is introduced into the member It is seen that the ratchet head. 1Q would engage the ratchet teeth 25, 80 but -in providingthe adjacent `.scalloped channels the; twoniembers are rendered sure t and positive in the speedy operation of joining up. A l

A pair of lugs 21a are provided and adapted to receive the remans Spanner Wrench used in'tightening the joints as previously described. Corrugations 9u are provided in the inner periphery of the member 22, adapting'said member to vbe joined tothe 90 hose in a manner vsimilar to one already described.' lVhen the two elements of the coupling are brought together by inserting one it is seen how the pawls will engage the ratchet teeth and hold the members in locked relation as they are tightened against each other. l

Figs. 2 and 3 oo-join in the illustration of the manner of coupling or joining up the hose line. The two elements of the coupling 10C are shown in proximate position ready to be thrust one into the other, tightened and locked as previously explained. I The swivel member 4C is of course rendered necessary in the, present type ofsorew and threaded coupling. In my invention the swivel member or any swivel action if dedesired mav be entirely eliminated, in that the hose will easily yield and compensate for the slight turn of one* of the elements necesl sary for coupling and locking of said elements.

Fig. 1 illustrates the adaptability of my invention to the present form of fire lu The male element or member 22 is slightly 11b modified in form, by being provided with screw threads instead of the eorrugations 9, (screw threads not shown) to meet the requirements of the threaded receiver plug 1"L of the street plug. This male member is 121 permanently provided and fitted to the street plugand when not in use is covered by the female cover plug 27. Said cover plug is also slightly modified in form to meet the requirements extant in the present 125 system of street water plugs. As illustrated said cover plug substantially embodies the element 3 of the female coupling with the swivel portion 4 eliminated and the rear fa ce cast and formed substantially solid and prol vvided with the pentagonal nut head 28 which f receives the wrench used in tightening said rover plug on the male element of coupling after tlicfhose has been removed from said vfire plug. A. chain 2.8 retains the cover plug to the lire plug.

The scope and intent of the invention is eipate all such changes, modifications, and ivatif` of lorm which may arise or be educed .from the generic principle herein vdelineated and subsequently claimed as is speciiieally pointed out and claimed in the following Claim: .ln an automatic coupler a. female member, a pair grooves l formed in the female member', longitudinal passages extending from the face 2G of the i'emale member and opening into the presented to include, embody, cover and ariof diainetrically opposed helical helical grooves, a pair of pawls pivoted in the female member, release buttons correlated with the pawls, shoulders ormed on said release buttons confining said release buttons to their place, raised lu s adapted to receive the Spanner Wrench ang prevent the release buttons from being released or pressed when dropped upon the ground; a male coupler member, a pair of diametri cally opposed lugs formed on said member, Spanner Wrench lugs, ratchet teeth, and scalloped channels i'formed on the male member adjacent to the teeth adapted to receive the heads of the pawls.

ln testimony whereof, I affix my signature inthe presence of tWo Witnesses. HERBERT C. HERR.

litnesses HARRY'TOMPKINS,

E. C. ELAM. 

